Personal devotions are unbiblical
2007 October 3
Sure, you can tell me about going in a prayer closet and all that but the plain fact is that the overwhelming witness of Scriptures is that reading of Scripture and prayer are community activities.
Find your community. Read the Bible. Pray together. It’s all about being the body.
“Personal devotions” are some sort of aberration born out of the American self-reliance ethos. Self-made man. Self-made millionaire. Self-made saint?
We need one another. Get together and pray. As a family. At work. In school. Don’t hide to read your Bible.
What about Jesus!! HE went to pray by himself often. What do you say about that! If we dont have our one to one with God then we have no personal reletionship with HIM. I am tottaly for getting together and praying as a body, we need that so much more, or God will never bring revival!! But dont try to get away with saying you dont need personal devotion……
You will DIE spiritualy without it…
As I was praying through the psalms (alone!) I was struck by the many references to meditating alone during the watches of the night. The Psalmist in Psalm 1 meditates on the Torah day and night. Always with company? I doubt it.
Your suggestion is fine, just extreme.
It also neglects the fact that personal devotions were made more accessible after the Gutenberg revolution so that not only the scribes had routine access to scripture.
But it’s another good reason to learn how to tell bible stories in case our Gutenberg memory isn’t with us.
It is all about balance. Personal devotion mixed with liturgical devotion and time with fellow believers (more then once a week) is a good balance.
You sure are trying to shake things up lately aren’t you!
To the one who overcomes I will give a white stone with a name on it that is known only to that one and the One giving it.
Some things can’t be shared – boil that one in your pot for a while.
1 Timothy 4:12-16 – enough said!
So confused?!
Are you being sarcastic, and no one gets it or do we agree completely on this one? Or well, I guess pretty much completely. I would say they are “extra-biblical” as opposed to unbiblical, but I’m with you.
Well, I got born again reading the Bible all alone. Then of course, I joined a local body of believers.
As somebody already said it, it’s a balance between communal and personal spirituality.
And hey, if you want to rant against unbiblical practice, how about going after “Accepting Jesus as your Personal Savior and Lord” formula?
It’s nowhere in the Bible, I guarantee you. (I think in the book of Acts, it’s “you and your household.” )
Thanks all for comments. Your accusations are largely true but if I make moderate statements you never comment so I have to be a bit extreme! I’ve followed up this post with a more detailed post.
Its scripturally wrong suggestions like this that lead to heresy, and godless denominations
Go to http://www.sermonindex.net and start listening to; Leonard Ravenhill, David Wilkerson, Art Kats, A. W. Tozer, Paris Reidhead, and Paul Washer. These guys will challenge and change your walk amazingly
Thanks for sharing your opinion.